Convertible satchel and knapsack

ABSTRACT

An article of luggage which can be carried by handles, in the manner of a satchel, or may be carried on the back, in the manner of a knapsack or back-pack. An enclosed receptacle of flexible material has substantially flat front and rear faces and a zipper-type closure extending more than half way around the receptacle. Handle members of generally inverted U-shape are attached at their ends to the front and rear faces near the bottom of the receptacle. The handle members are made of flexible, flat web material stiffened at their midportion and are slidably held in desired position by sections of flexible flat web material sewn to the respective faces of the receptacle a spaced distance above the points of attachment of the handle members to the receptacle. In use, the article is carried by grasping the stiffened central portions, which pulls the flexible flat web material up through the retaining webs, or the flexible flat webs of the handle members are pulled outwardly and the arms of the user are inserted between the pulled out portion and the corresponding face of the receptacle. Adjustment buckles are provided for selectively lengthening and shortening the handle members to accommodate different size arms.

United States Patent [1 91 Droeger CONVERTIBLE SATCHEL AND KNAPSACK [22]Filed: Dec. 3, 1971 [21] Appl. No.:, 204,513

[52] US. Cl. 224/9, 224/46 [51] Int. Cl. .Q A45f 4/02 [58] Field ofSearch 224/8 R, 9, 45 P, 8 A, 224/25 A, 46 R, 45 R, 5 N, M, 47

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1966 Gray 224/8 R3,019,952 2/1962 Brewster.. 224/9 1,359,461 11/1920 Luge 224/45 PFOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 80,550 8/1952 Norway 224/9 PrimaryExaminer-Gerald M. Forlenza Assistant Examiner-Jerold M. ForsbergAttorney, Agent, or FirmSchapp & Hatch 1 Apr. 9, 1974 [5 7 ABSTRACT Anarticle of luggage which can be carried by handles, in the manner of asatchel, or may be carried on the back, in the manner of a knapsack orback-pack. An enclosed receptacle of flexible material has substantiallyflat front and rear faces and a zipper-type closure extending more thanhalfway around the receptacle. Handle members of generally invertedU-shape are attached at their ends to the front and rear faces near thebottom of the receptacle. The handle members are made of flexible, flatweb material stiffened at their midportion and are slidably held indesired position by sections of flexible flat web material sewn to therespective faces of the receptacle a spaced distance above the points ofattachment of the handle members to the receptacle. In use, the articleis carried by grasping the stiffened central portions, which pulls theflexible flat web material up through the re taining webs, or theflexible flat webs of the handle members are pulled outwardly and thearms of the user are inserted between the pulled out portion and thecorresponding face of the receptacle. Adjustment buckles are providedfor selectively lengthening and shortening the handle members toaccommodate different size arms.

8 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures 1 CONVERTIBLE SATCI-IEL AND KNAPSACKBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a CONVERTIBLESATCHEL AND KNAPSACK adapted to be carried in the hand in a manner of aconventional suitcase or valise, or carried upon the back in the mannerof a knapsack.

Previous convertible devices of this type have utilized separatehandles, for carrying as a satchel, and shoulder straps, for carrying asa knapsack. Many of these have gone to considerable lengths to concealthe straps when .the bag is being used as a satchel. Generally speaking,the prior devices have either made the straps detachable, so they can becarried inside the bag, or have provided a separate compartment in thebag into which the straps may be retracted, as exemplified in my U.S.Pat. No. 3,622,056, issued Nov. 23, 1971 and entitled ConvertibleSatchel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The convertible satchel and knapsack of thepresent invention is adapted for carrying either as a satchel or as aknapsack without attaching or detaching any portion thereof and withoutrequiring opening or closing of any portion of the bag. To make thispossible, the handle members are made of flexible flat web material andare mounted on the bag in such manner that the bag is readilyconvertible merely by pulling on selected portions of the handlemembers. Thus, the handle members remain visible in both modes of useand contribute a novel and attractive appearance.

A primary object of the. present invention, therefore, is to provide anarticle of luggage suitable for carrying in the hand or on the back ofthe user and in which the carrying straps are part of the handle membersand the entire handle members are displayed as part of the appearance ofthe article.

Another object of the invention is to provide a convertible article ofluggage of the character described which is formed and proportioned foreasy and convenient carrying in the hand of the user and also for easyand convenient carrying on the back of th user as a knapsack.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as thespecification progresses and the new and useful features of theconvertible satchel will'be more fully defined in the claims attachedhereto.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The preferred forms of the inventionare illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of thisspecification, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of a convertible article luggageconstructed in accordance with the present invention, with the parts ofthe article being shown in operative position for carrying by hand; and

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a modified form of the convertiblearticle of luggage of FIG. 1.

While only the preferred forms of the invention are shown, it should beunderstood that various changes or modifications may be made within thescope of the claims attached hereto without departing from the spirit ofthe invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to thedrawing in greater detail, the convertible article of luggage of thepresent invention basically includes an enclosed receptacle 1 1 offlexible material, such as heavy fabric, having substantially flat frontand rear faces 12 and 13, an elongated reclosable separation 14 formedin the receptacle 11 between and generally parallel to the faces 12 and13 for providing access to the interior of the receptacle, a pair ofhandle members 16 and 17 of substantially inverted U-shape andhaving legportions 18 and 19 formed of flexible fiat web material, attaching means21 and 22 securing the ends of the leg portions 18 and 19 to the faces12 and 13, and staple means 23 mounted on the faces 12 and 13 in spacedrelation to the attaching means 21 and 22 andformedfor slidablyreceiving and retaining the leg portions 18 and 19, whereby thereceptacle 11 may be selectively carried as a satchel by the handlemembers 16 and 17, or as a backpack or knapsack by inserting the arms ofthe user between one of the faces 12 and 13, and the associated legportions 18 and 19, between the staple means 23 and the attaching means21 and 22.

Preferably, and as here shown, the handle members 16 and 17 at formed ofcontinuous strips of flexible, flat web material, such as the ebbingconventionally used on backpacks and knapsacks. For ease in carrying thearticle in the hand, the handle members 16 and 17 are stiffened betweenthe leg portions 18 and 19. Preferably, this stiffening is accomplishedby folding the webbing longitudinally and securing it in the foldedcondition, as by sewing. Further stiffening of the handle members isalso provided by a member 24 of relatively stiffer material attached tothe folded portion of the handle members.

The reclosable separation preferably extends more than half way aroundthe receptacle 11 in order to permit the receptacle to open up wide foreasy and convenient access to the interior. As here shown, thereclosable separation 14 comprises an interlocking tooth slide fastenerof the type commonly known as a zipper."

As may best be seen in FIG. 1, the receptacle 11 includes front and rearwalls, providing the faces 12 and 13, secured to and upstanding from agenerally flat bottom 26. A web 27 of relatively flexible materialconnects the edges of the front and rear walls and cooperates therewith,and with bottom 26, to define the enclosed receptacle 11. i

As shown in FIG. 1, the attaching means 21 and 22 consist of rivetssecuring the lower ends of the leg portions 18 and 19 to'the wall 12 inlaterally spaced relation and adjacent to the bottom 26. Handle members17, on the opposite side of the bag, is of similar con struction.

In FIG. 1, the staple means 23 comprises short segments of webbing,similar to the webbing used in handle members 16 and 17, with thesesegments being riveted to the walls 12 and 13 in vertically spacedrelation above the rivets 21 and 22. The leg portions 18 and 19 passloosely between the staple means 23 and the corresponding wall so thehandles may be pulled up to the position shown in solid lines in FIG. 1,for carrying in the hand, or may be pulled outwardly to the positionillustrated in dotted lines, so the arms of the user can be insertedbetween the leg portions 18 and 19 and the corresponding wall 12. Thus,conversion of the article of luggage between the satchel mode ofcarrying and the knapsack mode of carrying is easily and quicklyaccomplished merely by pulling upwardly or downwardly on the legportions 18 and 19.

Two basic types of suspension are commonly employed to support backpackson the backs of the user. In one type, the shoulder engaging straps arespaced apart and are parallel. This provides a two point suspension ofthe object being carried. In the other basic form of suspension, theshoulder engaging straps angle inwardly from the lower end and cometogether, or nearly together at the upper end. This provides essentiallya one point suspension overlying the spine of the user just below theneck.

The form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawings utilizesthe essentially one point suspension concept. As there shown, the staplemeans 123 provide guides for the leg portions 118 and 119 which arespaced more closely together than the attaching means 121 and 122. Thehandle member 116 is preferably stiffened as at 124 and the receptacle111 can be made somewhat triangular in shape to conform generally to thearrangement of the leg portions 118 and 1 19. In either form of theinvention, adjustment buckles 128 and 129 are provided in the legportions so the latter may be lengthened or shortened to accommodate thearms and shoulders of the particular user.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the convertible article ofluggage of the present invention provides a novel and attractivestructure which may readily be converted between a satchel mode, forcarrying in the hand, and a knapsack mode, for carrying on the back andshoulders, merely by moving a pair of straps upwardly or downwardlythrough guide means.

I claim:

1. An article of luggage, comprising an enclosed receptacle of flexiblematerial having substantially flat front and rear faces,

an elongated reclosable separation formed in said receptacle between andgenerally parallel to said faces for providing access to the interiorthereof, a pair of handle members of substantially inverted U- shapewith one of said handle members bein located completely on said frontface and the other of said handle members being located completely onsaid rear face and having leg portions formed of flexible flat webmaterial with the bight of each of said pair of handle members ofsubstantially inverted U-shape forming a handle for hand carrying,

first attaching means for fixedly securing the ends of said leg portionsof one of said pair of handle members to said front face,

second attaching means for fixedly securing the ends of said legportions of the other of said pair of handle members to saidrear face,and

staple means on said front face formed in spaced relation to and abovesaid first attaching means for slidably receiving and retainingseparately said leg portions of one of said pair of handle members, saidstaple means being located at least approximately one-eighth of thevertical dimension of the face downwardly from the top,

whereby the article may be selectively carried as a satchel by saidhandle members or as a backpack by inserting the arms between said frontface and the associated leg portions between said staple means and saidfirst attaching means.

2. An article of luggage as described in claim 1 and wherein said pairof handle members are each stiffened between the associated leg portionsso as to restrain lateral movement of said handle members when saidarticle is in use as a backpack.

3. An article of luggage as described in claim 2 and wherein said handlemembers are stiffened by folding longitudinally and securing saidflexible flat web material.

4. An article of luggage as described in claim 3 and wherein said handlemembers are further stiffened by a member of relatively stiffer materialattached to the folded portion of said handle members.

5. An article of luggage as described in claim 1 and wherein saidreclosable separation comprises an interlocking tooth slide fastenerextending more than halfway around said receptacle.

6. An article of luggage as described in claim 1 and further providingadjusting means provided on said leg portions secured by said firstattaching means for selectively increasing and decreasing the length ofeach of said leg portions secured to said flat front faces.

7. A convertible satchel and backpack, comprising a body portion ofrelatively flexible material providing substantially flat front and rearwalls secured to and upstanding from a generally flat bottom,

a web of relatively flexible material connecting the edges of said frontand rear walls to define an enclosed receptacle,

a reclosable separation formed in said web to provide access to theinterior of said receptacle,

a pair of handle members of generally inverted U- shape, with each ofsaid handle members having its lower ends fixedly attached in laterallyspaced relation to one of said walls adjacent to said bottom, with oneof said handle members being located completely on said front wall andthe other handle member located completely on said rear wall and withthe bight of each of said pair of handle members of substantiallyinverted U-shape forming a handle for hand carrying,

at least the vertical portions of said handle members being of flexibleflat web material,

and means secured to one of said walls in vertically spaced relationabove said lower ends of the associated handle member, said means beinglocated at least approximately one-eigth of the vertical dimension ofsaid wall downwardly from the top and formed for slidably securing theassociated handle member to said wall whereby the article may beselectively carried by said handle members as a satchel and by insertingthe arms between said vertical portions ofsaid handle members and saidwall for carrying the article as a backpack.

8. A convertible satchel and backpack as described in claim 7 andwherein said reclosable separation comprises an interlocking tooth slidefastener extending more than halfway around said receptacle, andadjustment buckles are provided on said vertical portions of said handlemembers for selective lengthening and shortening thereof so as toaccommodate different size arms.

1. An article of luggage, comprising an enclosed receptacle of flexible material having substantially flat front and rear faces, an elongated reclosable separation formed in said receptacle between and generally parallel to said faces for providing access to the interior thereof, a pair of handle members of substantially inverted U-shape with one of said handle members being located completely on said front face and the other of said handle members being located completely on said rear face and having leg portions formed of flexible flat web material with the bight of each of said pair of handle members of substantially inverted U-shape forming a handle for hand carrying, first attaching means for fixedly securing the ends of said leg portions of one of said pair of handle members to said front face, second attaching means for fixedly securing the ends of said leg portions of the other of said pair of handle members to said rear face, and staple means on said front face formed in spaced relation to and above said first attaching means for slidably receiving and retaining separately said leg portions of one of said pair of handle members, said staple means being located at least approximately one-eighth of the vertical dimension of the face downwardly from the top, whereby the article may be selectively carried as a satchel by said handle members or as a backpack by inserting the arms between said front face and the associated leg portions between said staple means and said first attaching means.
 2. An article of luggage as described in claim 1 and wherein said pair of handle members are each stiffened between the associated leg portions so as to restrain lateral movement of said handle members when said article is in use as a backpack.
 3. An article of luggage as described in claim 2 and wherein said handle members are stiffened by folding longitudinally and securing said flexible flat web material.
 4. An article of luggage as described in claim 3 and wherein said handle members are further stiffened by a member of relatively stiffer material attached to the folded portion of said handle members.
 5. An article of luggage as described in claim 1 and wherein said reclosable separation comprises an interlocking tooth slide fastener extending more than halfway around said receptacle.
 6. An article of luggage as described in claim 1 and further providing adjusting means provided on said leg portions secured by said first attaching means for selectively increasing and decreasing the length of each of said leg portions secured to said flat front faces.
 7. A convertible satchel and backpack, comprising a body portion of relatively flexible material providing substantially flat front and rear walls secured to and upstanding from a generally flat bottom, a web of relatively flexible material connecting the edges of said front and rear walls to define an enclosed receptacle, a reclosable separation formed in said web to provide access to the interior of said receptacle, a pair of handle members of generally inverted U-shape, with each of said handle members having its lower ends fixedly attached in laterally spaced relation to one of said walls adjacent to said bottom, with one of said handle members being located completely on said front wall and the other handle member located completely on said rear wall and with the bight of each of said pair of handle members of substantially inverted U-shape forming a handle for hand carrying, at least the vertical portions of said handle members being of flexible flat web material, and means secured to one of said walls in vertically spaced relation above said lower ends of the associated handle member, said means being located at least approximately one-eighth of the vertical dimension of said wall downwardly from the top and formed for slidably securing the associated handle member to said wall whereby the article may be selectively carried by said handle members as a satchel and by inserting the arms between said vertical portions of said handle members and said wall for carrying the article as a backpack.
 8. A convertible satchel and backpack as described in claim 7 and wherein said reclosable separation comprises an interlocking tooth slide fastener extending more than halfway around said receptacle, and adjustment buckles are provided on said vertical portions of said handle members for selective lengthening and shortening thereof so as to accommodate different size arms. 